Love and War
by YuriyIvanov
Summary: Being number one should be fun, it should mean that people likes you right? Well not always. Not for Armin, and the one guy he wish would like him is the one that hate him the most. But something is starting to change, and maybe, just maybe, hate can change to love as well? Warning: yaoi, death, angst, s/m, bdsm, sillyness, possible ooc. AU
1. Chapter 1

"Oh!" A blond boy stepped back, when he hit something hard that was too warm to be a wall. He looked up, right into a pair of tired, angry looking, brown eyes, and the person who he had just walked into.

"Too good to look where you are going, Armin? It has to be hard, being the top student and all. Can't waste your time on something as normal, as looking where you walk." The voice was cold, tired and hard, making Armin feel small under his harsh words. It was not like he had ever done anything to him, but it never stopped the taller boy from hating him.

"I'm sorry Jean, I was just thinking and I did not-" He was stopped as a warm hand grabbed his shoulder, making him turn slightly to see a pair of dark eyes and black hair. "Mikasa, it's fine. It was my fault, I walked into him." he said fast, as he spotted his best friend coming closer and looking ready to give Jean a piece of his mind. He gave the tall boy a shy smile, before turning around and pushing Mikasa back, hoping to get away from Jean before Eren got there. The last thing anyone needed was Eren and Jean having one of their fights so early in the morning.

The bell sounded, shortly after all three friends had found their seats close to the window; Armin sitting at the front, with Eren just behind him at the window and Mikasa sitting at his side. He remembered when they had started sitting like that. It had only been a month after they started school, but he had already been picked on by the older students, and when some from their class had started too, his friends had placed themselves, so no one could pass him notes, kick him or throw stuff at him. And it worked, no one did that anymore, not as long Mikasa or Eren was around.

He smiled a little as he took out his books. It was not that bad, high school, not when you had friends who would kick anyone who tried to pick on you. Not that he liked that his friends did it, he had never liked violence, and knowing it was because of him made it all that worse, but still, his friends did not care about getting hurt, if it was to get them back for making fun of Armin or trying to hurt him.

His thoughts were cut short as their teacher stepped in and starting calling their names. "Jean?" She called but his seat was empty. "Miss Ral, Jean will be here soon, he had to go to the school nurse." A soft spoken voice sounded from a slender boy, standing up from his seat behind where Jean normally would sit. His brown hair was cut short, but still managed to hang down, so he had to brush it away from his eyes from time to time, his cheeks covered in freckles and his eyes and smile so sweet and friendly, that it was hard to think he was best friends with Jean of all people.

"Thank you, Marco. I hope he is okay" She gave the sweet boy a smile, as he sat down again and she got back to calling the rest of her students. Armin could not help looking over at the empty seat. It had happened a lot lately, that Jean would come late to the first classes of the day, because he needed to go and see the nurse. He turned his eyes away; it was not his problem, right? They were not friends after all, so why would he care, that Jean seemed to be having problems that left him to go see a nurse or a doctor twice a week?

He had to stop thinking about him, as Miss Ral started on today's topic, the war that had been going on 100 years ago, before peace had been settled down. 100 years with peace, it was hard to believe, when they learned about how it had been before: War had been a part of everyday life and in their books the enemy had never been given a name, they were just called 'Titans'. The many stories, about how they had been fighting against gigantic warmachines had always fascinated Armin, and History with Miss Ral was one of his favorite subjects in school. The door was pushed open half way through 'lass, where an even more tired looking Jean stepped in. "Sorry I'm late."

They teacher gave him a understanding smile before turning around again, writing down the names of those who had done something outstanding in the battle against the Titans.

"Nanaba," The sound of pens against paper could be heard in the class "Dita Ness, and one of the most important of them all: Ilse Langnar, who gave her life to get the information to us that lead to the Titans' fall. Without her, or any of the many who fought in the battle, we would not have been able to live in a world with peace as we do today."

She gave them all a soft smile as she waited for them to write it all down. She started to talk about what had happened and soon the bell sounded and they got up.

Armin turned his eyes to the two sitting closest to the door. Jean really did not look to good. He looked tired and as if he had lost some weight. When he pulled up his shirt to show Marco something, Armin got a look at his toned stomach and the bandage that was around it. He felt his cheeks heat up slightly from the careless show of skin, but he also got worried. What had happened to Jean? From what he knew and had felt on himself, Jean were not one to back down from a fight, but he never started them and mostly used words over his fists.

"Armin, come on! Our next class is with Ackerman and I forgot to do my homework!" Eren pulled him out of class as he talked.

"How could you forget to do it again?! You know he will have you stay after class again!" Armin could just watch as his friend moved a hand though his hair with a goofy grin on his face.

"Come on. He will never know if you help me. It is just... His classes are so boring and the homework is killing!" He spread his arms out in a dramatic gesture. Mikasa, who was walking next to them, just shook her head, when her adopted brother started to complain about all the homework they got and how he had no time to make it. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck!" The sound of fear in the complaining boy's voice had both his friends looking up. Something that could make him stop complaining about Mr. Ackerman could only be one thing: the man himself. Down the hall came the one teacher, who was every student's worst nightmare. Levi Ackerman, a man no taller than 160 cm, and a gaze like he could not give two shits about anything, and that no student was worth using his time on. He walked down the hall, carrying a pile of papers and looking ever so tired. Armin turned slightly as his friend moved behind him. "Don't let him know I am-"

"Jaeger." Eren did not get a chance to get away, before all the papers were dropped into his arms and the shorter man grabbed him and pulled him with him. "You are coming with me, brat."

"Help me!" came a desperate cry from Eren, but neither Armin or Mikasa could do much more than try not to laugh of the face he made, as he got dragged to the classroom.

"Should we help him?" The blond turned and looked up at the taller girl next to him.

"No, he got himself into this one." she said, before giving the blond a small nod, leaving him to go and find her books. He looked around a little nervous. He was almost never alone anymore, but when he was, 'he' would come.

"No more friends to save you?" The sound of the voice Armin knew too well, made him turn around, just before he got slammed against the lockers, his head hitting it hard, making him whimper slightly in pain.

"Jean, please" he whispered scared, as a strong hand held up in his shirts collar. No one in the hall would help him; they both knew that too well. Armin was not someone people would get in trouble over. Yeah sure, he was a nice kid, but most saw him as being stuck up and thinking he was better than them, because of his perfect score in every test. This could not have been more wrong, but it took more than Armin's own words to make his follow students believe that.

"Oh now you can beg? What was it you told me last time? That you did not have time for me, that you were too busy to waste time on something like this? Well too bad you little shit, because I think you should be wasting your time on this today." His grip in the smaller boy's collar got tighter, as he dragged him down the hall to the changing room. He pushed him inside, with a smirk on his lips, as he closed the door behind them, locking it before turning against the blond again. Said blond was sitting on the floor, slowly moving away, knowing too well where this was going. It was not the first time after all, but it always hurt more when it was Jean who hit.

"Jean, you know I did not mean... I did not mean that I was better than you, but we had a test coming up and... Oh god." He turned his head away when Jean got closer, getting down so he could look at the blond up close.

"Yes I know. We had a test. Guess what. If it had not been for you I would have hold the high score on it, but no. You just had to come and get 100% again." He grabbed him around the chin, forcing the blond to look at him, before he changed his grip, taking hold at the collar of the boy's uniform shirt. He held him down against the floor with his strength and his body weight.

"You always have to ruin everything for me, don't you? Always. You could just for once be number two, but no. You always have to be number one. Always! Well too bad being number one can't get you any friends!" He slammed him down against the floor, before tightening his grip on the boy's collar. The smaller boy let out a scared whimper, when he could feel the hot breath on his skin. He closed his eyes, waiting for the first hit, but nothing came. He looked up, seeing the boy sitting over him, hand ready to hit him, but something had stopped him. Armin's eyes moved to the door where Jean was looking.

Marco was standing there, looking sad and, well, disappointed as only he could do it. He just looked at his friend before holding out a hand.

Armin watched them. It was well-known, that they were best friends, and Marco was the only one Jean never hit or was mean to. He was also the only one, who could make the tall boy stop, when he got angry. Armin had been saved more than once from him, but there was a look in his eyes every time he had to do it. Something Armin could not understand.

Jean made a displeased sound as he got up, kicking the blond hard before walking to his friend. "I was done with that little fag anyways." His voice was so cold and dripping with poison, as the two older boys left the room.

Armin could not move. The kick had been hard, but not that bad, not compared to what he had tried before, but it was that one word that had him shaking and tears starting to run down his cheeks.

Jean could not know. It was impossible. No one knew. Well, Eren and Mikasa did, but they would never tell. And of all people, Jean was the last one who could and should know.

He slowly pushed himself off the floor, when the bell sounded. He had to go to class, but when he went, he could barely keep any focus, not even in some of his best classes.

Jean could not know. It was the only thing he could think of, and the other's words were the only ones he heard. That angry voice that never gave him a soft word, never left him without a feeling of guilt for being who he was.

Somehow he got through the day. Everything blending together in the end, before he finally hit his pillow.

As he closed his eyes he could see him again. He could see that angry face and hateful eyes, that looked at him like he was the reason of everything bad. But. There was a smile too. A smile that was not for him, but someone else. But Armin would do anything to see it again, even if it was not for him to look at.

As sleep took him, he whispered a soft prayer: that one day, one day, he would be the one making the tall boy day that smile would be for him.


	2. Chapter 2

Light hit a sleeping face, just as a high pitched sound came from the alarm clock next to a messy bed. Sleepy hands pulled the blue duvet up, until only a mop of golden blond hair could be seen.

"Armin, honey is it time to get up!" A warm, but slightly tired, voice came from somewhere outside of the very neat bedroom. Only the bed, where Armin finally had pulled himself up, was a mess. Around in his room everything had its place. His uniform was hanging from his wardrobe, ready to be put on, and his books and papers from the night before, was lying neatly on his desk, just waiting to be placed in his bag. His walls had been covered with posters picturing everything from bands to anime all the way to science.

A mop of blond hair hung around his sleepy face, as Armin got up. He had not been sleeping well that night. Yesterday had been a mess, and when he finally had gone to bed after staying up for way too long, he had been unable to fall asleep.

He had come to the conclusion, that Jean did not knew about his feelings. He had only looked shocked about being on top of him, because Marco had seen them. Yes, that was why.

Marco was Jean's best friend after all, and everyone knew that the dark haired boy hated bullying. He was probably the only one, who could make Jean feel bad about beating up the blond.

Armin left his room, his uniform in one hand as he went for the bathroom. A shower was all he needed to get rid of pictures and dreams. It had not only been his late bedtime that had kept him from sleeping well. His dreams had been interesting, to say the least. Not that he never had been having a wet dream before, he was 15 after all, but it had been so real. Instead of Marco walking in on them, Jean had gone for it, but instead of hitting him...

_^Fabric was ripped apart, buttons flying off and hitting the floor around them. A small whimper slipped past Armin's lips in fear of what would happen. He looked up; expecting to see Jean looking disgusted about his slender chest and pale skin, but instead his eyes were darkened by lust, a pink tongue running over his lip before he leaned down. His wrist was held down by a hand, keeping the blond from getting up or away._

"_Do you have any idea how long I have waited for this? I long I have wanted you?" Armin could not hold back a moan, when the voice he so often had begged to hear whispered into his ear did exactly so, as he licked the sensitive skin before biting hard down on it, sucking it lightly where he had bitten, just to do it again._

"_Jean... Someone... Could walk in." Armin whispered, voice shaking and low, almost fearing that Jean would hear him and stop. But he had no reason to fear, the taller boy just smirked and started to move his long fingers over his chest, stopping when he found one of the blonds pink nipples, moving in lazy circles around it before pinching it, making the blond whimper in pain, pulling at it and playing with it as it started to become hard, torturing it just to make the blond let out his sweet voice again._

"_Let them. They can look all they wan,t as long as I have you... You are mine now, Armin" Jean's voice low and deep as he whispered to the blond, making his body shiver in need._

_The hand, which was holding him down, tightened around his wrists, giving him no chance to get away, leaving him no choice other than accepting Jeans demanding words for submission._

_The blond looked up, as the pair of talented lips left his ear and instead attacked Armin's own lips, burning against them, demanding and rough, before a slick tongue ran over his bottom lip, ordering him to open up for him rather than asking._

_It could not even be called a battle between their two slick muscles as they met, Jean forcing his way in, claiming the blond's mouth for himself, exploring it and tasting him. A smile on the tall boys lips appeared, when the smaller boy moaned and pushed himself up against him._

_Lips moved from his, kissing their way down from his mouth to his jawline, leaving small bites along it, before going down on his slender neck. Armin wanted to move, to cover his mouth as whimpers and moans of pleasure left him every time Jeans kiss turned to bites, leaving red marks before sucking on them, making sure no one could miss them. Making sure everyone would be able to see, that the blond belonged to someone, that he belonged to Jean._

_He could hear it; somewhere, behind the door, was the school and the other students. The thought of someone walking in on them only made the blond blush deeper, but the warm feeling in his body, the tight feeling in his pants only became stronger._

_Skilled fingers, which had been playing with his nipples, moved lower, running over his stomach and down to his pants._

"_Tell me you are mine, and I will let you have what your body is begging for" The tone, so unlike anything Jean had ever said before, made the fire in his gut turn from a spark to a full on inferno._

"_I..." He moved, trying to look away, but a sharp bite at his collarbone made him lay still. "I'm yours..." He whispered, too embarrassed to speak louder, but apparently it was not good enough. Those fingers he desired so much, kept still on his smooth skin right above his pants._

"_Not good enough Armin. Who am I?"_

_This time Armin knew what to say, but..._

_Tears filled his eyes, the shame and desire becoming too much for him. He could not say it; he did not want to say it, and most of all he did not want to desire it._

"_I'm yours... Master" He whispered, looking up when lips moved from his skin and he felt the other's eyes on him._

"_Much better, my beautiful little pet. Now I will give you your treat"^_

Armin could feel his cheek burning. He had gotten to the bathroom, lost in the memory of his dream. How could he have been dreaming of something like that?

He looked in the mirror, almost expecting to see his neck being purple with bite marks and love bites, going all the way from his jaw to his collarbone. But of course not. It had only been a dream, and the only mark on his skin, was from when Eren had been a little too rough when he hugged him two days ago. He let out a sigh, running his fingers over his skin, before he got started on undressing himself. His pajamas landed on the floor, together with his boxer shorts, before he stepped under the warm water. The water woke him up, but did not help removing the dream from his mind. As he started to wash himself, running his hands over his skin to remove sweat and dirt, he could not keep himself from picturing it as being _his_ hands. A moan slipped from him, as he moved over his chest. Remembering how Jean had played with it in his dream, teased it and made him burning with need just from it. His breath became a little faster as his hands moved lower.

Why?! Why did this have to happen to him? Did he not have problems enough, without being hot and needy for the boy giving him half of his problems already?

He almost wanted to cry, when he found himself being painfully hard. He hated it. Hated that he wanted Jean so badly. Hated that he could not control his body and that it moved on its own. Rubbing against his hand, moving his hips as he took a hold of his hard member, closing his eyes tight as pictures, fantasies and dreams started to mix in his head.

When the pressure finally became too much, the guilty pleasure making him cry out, whispering the name of his desire as a shameful tear mixed with the water from the shower running down his face.

He cleaned himself as fast as he could, happy that the running water had covered up for the embarrassing sounds he had made just a moment ago.

He stepped out when the last evidence had been washed down the drain, drying himself off and getting dressed.

As he started to brush his hair he could not help it, running his eyes down over his now fully dressed body. He almost wanted to cry. How could HE think that Jean would ever want to look his way with anything other than hate? He was slender and skinny, using way too much time with his books instead of running around like other boys did it. Sure, he was not weak, with Mikasa taking him with her to the gym at least two times a week, working him to the bone, but still, he was short and skinny, and it did not help that he had been taken for a girl more than once. He pushed his cheeks together. He wish he could be more guy like, manly even, but he had tried that once and, well, let's just say it had not turned out like he wanted. It would not be so bad, being slender and all, if he just got something out if it. Like in his animes he liked to watch, where everyone liked the cute boy. Yeah, it would have been awesome if his life could be like that. Having girls calling him cute and having his dream guy thinking he was too cute and adorable to let out of his sight. Of course, his life was not an anime, and the only one calling him cute was his mother. Oh, and his dream guy only looked at him when he wanted to hit him.

His shoulders dropped and he got done in the bathroom, calling his mom to let her know that he would be going soon and did not have time to eat. It was a lie and they both knew it, but his mom had long ago stopped calling him out on it, instead she would make sure he got one or two extra sandwiches with him to school.

He went to his room, finding his bed had been made and his air fresh with a faint smell of rose mixed with something he could never place. He smiled. He loved his family and he really wished he could be a better son than he was. He knew his mom was worried about him, but he just could not help it. At least he had Eren and Mikasa.

As if God wanted to let him know that he still did have the two siblings, his phone started to vibrate on his nightstand. As he picked it up could he not keep back a smile.

**Eren**

"**CODE RED! M has a crush! Set operation 275 in action."**

Armin had not even stopped laughing of the first text before the next came.

**Mikasa**

"**Don't listen to Eren, he had sugar this morning. I do not have a liking toward any boy or man, and neither for any girl or women."**

**Eren**

"**Yes she does. I walked in on her texting someone and laughing! Laughing Armin! She so has the hots for someone. We will find out who it is. Bring black hoodie and sunglasses... Oh and chocolate!"**

He smiled again. The next 5 minutes was him just standing, watching his friends more or less fight over texts sent to Armin. It happened a lot, mostly when Eren got his hands on sugar far too early in the morning, something that happened at least two times a week. You should think they had gotten better at hiding it, but if there was one thing Eren was good at, it was finding a way to get what he wanted.

He dropped his still buzzing phone to his pocket, as he started to fill his bag.

As soon as his hand found his chemistry book he turned pale. Oh god. For a moment he had forgotten all about his dream, his feelings for Jean and the fact that they had classes together all day. Even better. They would have chemistry and biology together; it should not be that bad right? They were both good at it, so they should be able to stay away from each other, right? Wrong. Very, very wrong. Every time they had to do something in the lab, which was almost every class, something happened as soon as they stepped into the classroom. Last time Jean had "slipped" and almost dropped one of the chemicals, they had been using that day, on Armin. He had saved it, laughing it off like it was nothing, but Armin knew better. Jean was just waiting for a time when they did not have their teacher's eyes on them, and then he would let all hell break loose on him.

He pushed the book into his bag, a little harder than needed, before pulling it over his shoulder. He would not think of it. He was not scared of Jean and he knew nothing could happen to him. Nothing too bad.

20 minutes later, he was standing in front of his locker. He was one of the only ones, who were at school already. Sliding down to sit and wait for his friends, he found one of his mom's sandwiches in his bag. It was not that he was hungry, he never really was, but his mom had made it for him and he did not want to have her worry about his lack of appetite.

He watched the other students starting to get there. First the reading club, meeting up before school to speak about some book they had read. Well, that was what they said, but he did not see any books, instead one of them had pulled out some shady looking book and they had all gotten around her to read and giggle and whatever they did. After them, most of the smarter kids started to get there, not wanting to be late and some having to print out papers before class. Then it started to become a mix, it was around then he spotted Eren and Mikasa.

Mikasa looking like she wanted to kill someone, and Eren laughing over something.

"Armin!" Said blond had only gotten to his feet as he was pulled into a hug, being hold there a little longer than needed before Eren let go of him.

"You go my texts right? Okay, so Mikasa over there is so having a crush on her trainer!" The brown-haired boy looked so proud of himself, that Armin could nothing but smile. He felt sorry for his black-haired friend, but he knew her better than most and even when she looked ready to kill her brother, there was still that love and will to protect in her eyes, every time she looked at him.

"Her trainer? Are you sure Eren? You know, the last time you thought you had found out she had a crush on someone, you said she had a crush on Levi" Oh, it had been beautiful. Eren had gotten into his head that Mikasa had the hots for their short teacher, and had spend two weeks with a camera, trying to get evidence of it, at the same time as he had tried to keep them apart in class. It had ended with Eren getting to take extra classes with said short teacher, when he had been found spying on Levi.

If anyone had a crush on their French teacher it was Eren, but hell would freeze over before anyone would tell the hot-tempered boy that.

"This is not like that Armin! And I am still sure she had a crush on him. No this is real!"

"Eren, one word more, and I will use you for practice again" Mikasa had been silent up until down but she must have had enough of Eren by now. Armin did not really know what the threat meant, other than what was obvious, but Eren did, and he become deathly pale and shut it. He gave his sister a nervous smile.

"Come on Mikasa you would not... Would you?" She gave her brother a cold look and a nod, making Eren run and hide behind Armin.

"You can't hurt me. Mom told you not to" Armin had to hide his smile. Most of the time the two siblings was best friends, but it was times like this he remembered that they were siblings and they did have silly fights like anyone else.

So many of the other students would say Eren was crazy. He had a thing with being a little too loud and passionate about things, and they would say Mikasa did not have feelings and that she was like a marble statue. Well, Eren may have been a little crazy, but Mikasa did have feelings and Armin knew better than anyone else.

By now the hall had been filled with students and the three friends moved to their first class, the mood back in good tones after a silent sorry from both siblings.

They entered the class and found their seats, close to the window and a little more back then normal, having Eren sitting behind Armin and Mikasa in a desperate hope that he could hide away there.

Armin turned his eyes from his friends, once again Eren had started talking about how their teacher hated him and was out to get him. They only had French two times a week, and somehow Eren always did something that would have him staying after school, doing whatever punishment they short teacher wanted for him.

No matter how much Armin did feel for his friend, it was not fair after all, he had other things on his mind. Through the door walked the reason for his sleepless nights, tall and strong as ever, looking only as tired as everyone else. Armin had to smile a little, turning his eyes down before anyone saw it. Watching Jean laughing and joking with his friends was the best thing that had happened all week. The last couple of days had Jean been late, going to the nurse before anything else, but not today. Today he came in together with Marco, who looked like a small sun, smile shining bright as he told Jean some story. Behind them came two of their other friends, both laughing and looking just as happy as Marco.

Armin wished he knew what had been wrong with Jean; it had to be bad for his friends to look so relieved that he was in class on time now. But they were not the only ones. Everyone looked a little happier with Jean back, good mood and high spirit. After all, when Jean was not bullying Armin, he was a funny guy who could make everyone laugh and relax. His smile always made other people smile and he was smart and helped those who asked.

Armin smiled, watching the tall boy as he set down. He could not help it. He knew it was more than a crush he had on Jean. It had always been more. He just... fell in love with the person Jean was around everyone else. Helping, smiling, laughing and always there to stand up for himself and his friends.

The door was pushed open just as the bell sounded over them. A short man with short black hair and a tired look stepped in. A white shirt was sitting tight around his upper body, giving away a hint of a strong body, the white scarf around his neck was in place as always and his black pants was sharp and spotless. Everything about him was clean and sharp, as he placed his black jacket over the chair. As he turned his eyes to the class, it fell silent. No one dared to say a word before finding out how the demon in front of them was feeling.

"Jeager, get up here. Give back the shitty test from yesterday" His voice sounded like he could barely care any less about the test or the students that was sitting in front of him, tense and nervous. Levi only used Eren's last name when he was in a bad mood, so the normal jokes and laughter was not to be heard anywhere in the class.

"You are a bunch of disgusting idiots, only 5 of you had more than 7 answers correct" His eyes pierced every single student as he looked at them, holding the eye contact just long enough for the student to look down or away.

"You will get a new test in two weeks. If you don't pass it, you will not pass your finals. It counts 40% of your final grade." The entire class gave a gasp in disbelief. Their teacher could not be serious. Could he? 40% of their grades? You could almost hear the panic spreading between those who was less than good. No, scratch that, everyone was going into a panic. Levi had gone from cruel to downright evil. Even the three, who got good grades in this class, being Armin, Jean and Mikasa, looked shocked and just as pale as the rest.

The rest of the class was spent with Eren running between his seat and the blackboard. Armin, and the rest of the class, was sure that Levi had to get some sadistic kick out of pulling Eren up in front of the class, forcing the shaking boy to try and answer in French, just to give him a reason to give him detention once again when Eren was wrong.

It seemed to take forever before the class ended. Staying behind was the three friends, two of them looking at Eren with a worried look.

"Are you okay?" Armin leaned over the back of his chair. Wanting to do something but not really knowing what.

Eren was pale and looked like he would pass out any time. Being forced to talk about the war between France and England in front of the whole class with only 15 minutes to get ready, tends to leave you pale and shaky, even more so when your teacher is standing and looking ready to murder someone, because you can't pronounce his home town right.

Armin gave his friend one look before digging into his bag.

"You know... my mom always gives me too many anyways and she knows you love them" He gave his friend a warm smile, as he held out a box filled with homemade triple chocolate cookies. Eren looked at them for a long moment, both Mikasa and Armin was holding their breath, waiting. Eren would never pass up chocolate or sugar, and everyone who got to eat at Armin's home, knew that his mom was the best cook ever. So when Eren finally moved to grab two cookies, it made them both smile. If Eren had said no, none of them would knew what to do. Being a genius was only good if you could help your friends out.

It still took a long moment before Eren opened his mouth, but when he did he was back to himself.

"Why does he always start the day by getting the Eiffel tower up his ass?" He looked at his two friends with a serious look, looking slightly offended when they both looked away starting laughing. "Come on guys! It's not funny. That guy has it so far up his ass I think I can see it in his mouth every time he talks." He spread his arms dramatically before spinning on his chair. He ends up facing a still laughing Armin and Mikasa, leaning over and grabbing a cookie. "I know it! He hates me because I'm too much for him to handle... Right?" He looked at his friends, hope in his eyes for them to agree, instead found he both Mikasa and Armin trying their best not to laugh.

"I'm... I'm sure that is it... Eren... and not that you... What was it he did last time?" Armin turned to Mikasa who had got herself under control, one of her rare warm smiles on her lips as she leaned closer, stealing one of the blond's cookies.

"He said Levi was the new Napoleon and jumped onto the table, pretending to be him, and saying that he needs the extra height, so he could look down on the peasants"

"Hey, it was not my fault that he walked in, right as I was showing my skills as an actor!" He jumped from the chair, his sugarhigh from that morning coming back, before grabbing Armin and dragging him out of the room.

"There is still time. We can find his weak point, we can slay the evil lord of-" The loud bell cut short what it was Eren meant Levi was the evil lord of, but knowing Eren it would be the town of frog legs or something like that.

They left they class, Mikasa being the only one remembering to bring their bags, before running down to the basement where they had chemistry class. Whoever did that was a cruel, cruel man. Or maybe he just never imagined that someone like Hanji would take it over and make it her domain.

Mrs. Hanji Zoë was known to be one of the funniest, but also most dangerous teachers to have. Sure, it was funny, but last time Connie ended up having to go to the nurse, because she had made him drink something made out of some plants they had found outside. Turned out it had not been lethally poisonous, something Mrs Zoë already knew, but it had made Connie turn a sick shade of green before he passed out.

The tree friends got through the door, as a cloud of smoke stood up, just in time for them to see a pair of glasses and a ponytail somewhere behind it.

They got down on their chairs, just as the smoke cleared out, revealing a bright smiling Hanji, standing and waving her hands to get rid of all the smoke.

"Okay class! I got some really good news for all of you." A mixed look of excitement and fear moved through the class from her words. Good news from Hanji normally had someone going to the nurse, but giving everyone else a good laugh.

"We will be pulling all my classes together for the next 7 weeks, meaning you will not be having chemistry, biology or physics, but instead you will have to make a project!" She clapped her hands together, looking way more excited about it, than her class.

"You will be put in groups of two and pick a topic to work with. In the end of those 7 weeks, you will present it all in front of class, and we will get a place to show it off for not only the school but the whole town!" She smiled even brighter with a hint of something that made those sitting in the front move slightly back, away from the crazy teacher.

"You can make the project about anything, as long as it is related to all 3 classes. So, now for the groups. I want you to work with someone you do not always work together with, so I will pick them."

A little back in the class, between two fighting siblings, or rather one fighting sibling and one sibling ignoring the other, was Armin turning pale. He already knew where this was going. All his luck had run out the moment they got there on time and now... Now he just waited for the Gods to finish him off before she could...

"Armin, I want you to be together with Jean. I'm sure it will be interesting seeing the two of you work together" Oh god, he was dead. The blond dared to turn his eyes to look at the guy, he now had to work together with. The look in the other's eyes was a mix between sadistic satisfaction and pure hate. He turned his blue eyes away, shaking and almost crying out. Oh dear lord, he was dead. A chemistry project with the one guy who hated him more than anyone, and who had used the last 1½ year trying to find a way to kill the blond without anyone knowing it was him. His head hit the table, hoping if he maybe hit himself hard enough, he could get into a coma and not have to do this. 7 weeks, nearly two months, with a guy who hated his guts and who he was having wet dreams about.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up from the table he saw Mikasa standing in front of him, trying to give him a bit of comfort, knowing how this had to feel for the blond. Next to him was Eren putting an arm around him, pulling the blond to him as he gave Jean a look that should have scared the guy sitting 3 table from them, but instead made him laugh.

"We should talk to Hanji, she can't put them together. Jean will kill Armin!" Eren looked like he for once was not sure what to do. Hanji was nice and all but not really one you could get to change her mind about anything.

"Wow thank you Eren, I feel so much better." Armin pushed himself up, giving his friends the bravest smile he could. "It will be fine. He... He won't kill me." Yeah, he did not even believe his words himself, and looking at his friends, neither did they, but what could they do? Hanji had spoken and even with Armin being her favorite, not even he thought he could make her change. He turned his blue eyes from his friends to his enemy, taking a deep breath before leaving the safe table with his friends and crossing the class, looking with jealousy on the others, who all had gotten a good partner.

The only one looking like he was in deeper shit than Armin had to be Connie. Poor dude had been paired up with Anni, who looked ready to kill someone just to get out of it.

He stopped, in front of the last person he had wanted to speak to that day, trying to give a warm smile, one that only the brown haired boy, who looked like he had gotten even more freckles than ever, gave back to him.

"Hey Marco... Uhm, sorry for stealing your partner, but we should find out what we want to write about." He tried his best not to sound scared, but his voice was still shaky as he spoke, unable to keep himself from looking over at Jean who was looking at his phone, ignoring the blond.

"Sure." The smile Armin got from Marco was so friendly, that he forgot to be scared for a moment, just smiling back as he left them alone.

It felt like the whole class had gone, not a sound was said between the two as Armin set down, pulling out his book, moving it around on the table before turning to Jean, opening his mouth to say something just to close it again, unable to find any words.

How do you talk to your enemy, who wants you dead? There should be a book about it, together with a book about how you don't become a complete mess as a teenager, and a book about understanding girl's logic. But there was none of those, and even if someone had made them, Armin had yet to read them, so instead of doing something, that could break the awkward silence between them, he just looked in his book, hoping that he somehow would find the answer between the lines about atoms. Yeah, he wished he could just become one of those. Well, technically he already was, but he wished he could be only one, being split into atoms and never have to do this again.

"So... Uhm... I was thinking, that maybe we could make, uhm, maybe a project about water?" He gave a nervous giggle, wishing more than anything, that he could keep his stupid mouth closed. He knew he was sounding like a complete loser, but he just did not know what to say. How do you come up with a cool project? Again, more books someone should have made. How to sound cool and not like a loser in front of the guy you are having a crush on.

"Water? Serious?" Jean turned to look at him, his golden brown eyes making Armin feel even smaller and just wanting to get out of there. "Fine, whatever. Water is fine"

"Oh.. Uhm, okay" Armin gave a nervous smile. Maybe it was not so bad. He got up from the chair.

Okay, water was maybe not the best topic, but hey, it could work. He got up and told Hanji, giving her a small smile. He felt happy. He had talked to Jean... . .Jean! He wanted to jump up and down in happiness. Okay, so it was only a few words, but still. It was words, and Jean had not hit him or tried to kill him yet. Okay, this was now the best day ever. He moved back to the table, getting down next to Jean, his heart beating a thousand km pr. hour, as they started to talk about the project. They talked, like, really talked. Not friendly, not at all, but it was talking and Armin could feel his hope getting up. If they could get through this, if it could work out, then maybe... Maybe they could become friends, and if they could become friends then there would be a chance for them to maybe become more.

He was on a cloud that day, a pink fluffy cloud, that nothing could get him down from. When he was laying in his bed that evening he was smiling. For one time in his life, everything looked like it was going his way.

As he closed his eyes, it was with a smile and one name on his lips. "Jean" he smiled as he tucked himself down under the cover, pictures of a warm smile filling his world as he drifted off to sleep. He had talked to Jean; he had really talked to him.


End file.
